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Saturday, May 16, 2015

We Came, We Saw, We Contoured

Earlier this month a group of volunteers created swales and planted fruit trees as the first step in creating a back yard Food Forest.

Here is a video created by the generous and public spirited homeowners Nick and Kirsten that, for me, captures the joy of the day.
The site last December


Before concrete removal
                                                       

This is what we started with on the day

It was the last in this series of "Seed Plot" creations offered by Benicia Community Gardens.
A load of tree chips arrive  (even before we have a place to put them)

Such is the delightful, joyful chaos of community installs

Surprise! Abandoned electrical and water lines were an unexpected twist to the morning. They were probably serving a spa, or other system, long ago before the current owners.
This swale was 15 inches deep when complete

There was a lot of love here
 
Nikita (Left) is designated 'Director of Cheerfulness"
 
 
Big Aeigshelski hoping to find snacks in the newly arrived chips


Aeigshelskis doing the under table clean up at lunch

Now the gloves go on!

 After lunch we might expect that the pace would ease a little. Not with this group. Lunch over the shade structure was moved allowing the marking out of the final swale. With great zeal the digging crew moved in on the thin line of flour marking the place to dig.

Digging was actually easier in the areas previously covered in concrete. The concrete acted as a form of mulch to retain moisture.
Planting Blueberries and Gogi berries

Filling the swales with tree chips

Long shadows creep over the site as we end the day. Swales dug. Seven fruit trees planted.
Were they available on the day we would have put more tree chips in the swales, which will also act as paths.
I would like to give credit to the Occidental Arts and Ecology Center with the inspiration for the title of this post. I saw an "I" version of the title on one of their tee shirts. There was also an image of an "A" frame. Great message.
 
There is a part two relating to this home in Benicia. Next comes a laundry to landscape greywater system. To find out what that entails please visit our friends at Greywater Action
 
I would also like to mention Ron's project to build a local Permaculture website. Check out Contra Costa Permaculture
 
And finally:
DVC Horticulture Summer Blowout Sale
Friday May 22nd
 
We will be blowing out our stock of Annual Edibles on Friday May 22nd from 2-5.
 
We have Tomatoes and Peppers aplenty, all ready to be given a good home for the summer.
Our Pittosporum, Coyote Bush, Bog Sage, Roses, and Plumbagos are also at blowout prices.
 
We still have some gift arrangements and rare fruits available at regular prices as well as our wonderful selection in the galleria.
 
We have rainbarrels for sale, use the summer to set up next year’s system.
Get information on our summer and fall classes!
 
We are located at DVC parking lot 9, down by the Garden.
 
More information can always be found on our facebook page
 
Enjoy the ides of May.
David
925 286 7225